Albert Barnes Commentary Hosea 8:14

"For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and builded palaces; and Judah hath multiplied fortified cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the castles thereof." — Hosea 8:14 (ASV)

For Israel has forgotten his Maker - God was his Maker, not only as the Creator of all things, but as the Author of his existence as a people, as He says, Has He not made you, and established you? (Deuteronomy 32:6).

And builds temples - as for the two calves, at Bethel and at Dan. Since God had commanded to build one temple only, that at Jerusalem, to build temples was in itself sin. The sin charged on Ephraim is idolatry; that of Judah is self-confidence; for which reason Isaiah blames them, that they were busy in repairing the breaches of the city, and cutting off the supplies of water from the enemy; but you have not looked to the Maker of it, neither had respect to Him who fashioned it long ago (Isaiah 22:11). Jeremiah also says, that they shall impoverish (or, crush) the fenced cities, in which you trusted, with the sword (Jeremiah 5:17).

But I will send a fire upon his cities - In the letter, the words relate to Judah; but in substance, the whole relates to both. Both had forgotten God; both had offended Him. In the doom of others, each sinner may read his own.

Of the cities of Judah, Isaiah says, your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire (Isaiah 1:7). In the fourteenth year of Hezekiah (some twelve years probably after the death of Hosea), Sennacherib came up against all the cities of Judah and took them (2 Kings 18:13). And of Jerusalem it is related that Nebuchadnezzar burnt the house of the Lord, and the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man’s house he burnt with fire (2 Kings 25:8–9).

Man set them on fire; God brought it to pass. And, in order to teach us that He does all things, giving all good, overruling all evil, He says that He was the doer of it.